I just returned from a brief ski holiday in Vermont skiing one day at Smugglers Notch and two at Stowe Mountain Resort. It had been 20 years since I last visited Vermont and I’ve promised myself to return much sooner.
  Vermont has had much the same winter as we have with far less snow than their normal 300” to 400” however a week before I arrived, Stowe received 5’ of snow in about 9 days. Snow conditions over this past weekend were fabulous with reasonably cold temperatures overnight to facilitate grooming resulting in what probably will be their last mid-winter-like snow of the season. This being March Break, plenty of Ontario cars were seen in the parking lot at both the resort and our hotel.

  For anyone that has not skied Vermont I can highly recommend it. The population of the entire state is only about 650,000 thanks in part to most of it is covered by the Green Mountains so the scenery is fabulous.  Abnsent from Vermont as well is the proliferation of large signs and billboards so common in many states.  Smugglers Notch is billed as Vermont’s family resort and while it has not had the cash infusion of neighouring Stowe Mountain Resort it does boast Vermont’s highest vertical drop of 2,600+ feet. Smugglers has older chairlifts and lodge facilities but great skiing with numerous triple black diamond runs. Stowe on the other hand is taking on the look of an Intrawest type development with luxury condos, gondola lifts and a new high speed quad chairlift installed this past fall.

  The village of Stowe is your typical Vermont town with quaint shops and plenty of restaurants thankfully no fast food though. Accommodations are plentiful and reasonable. We stayed at Golden Eagle Resort just a short walk from the main village core, $119 a night for double occupancy and breakfast was included. We obtained discounted lift tickets through our hotel enabling us to get a full day pass at Stowe for $69 which I thought was a great deal considering a day pass at Blue Mountain is $59.   I can highly recommend a trip to Stowe as a great ski getaway and for a reasonable price especially with the current exchange rate. 

  In my next post I am going to cover some aspects of the village of Stowe that might relate well to and benefit Collingwood and area.